Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea as a complication of endoscopic endonasal reduction of blowout fractures.

BACKGROUND

Unless the orbital contents are supported, the insertion of nasal packing material during endoscopic endonasal surgery may cause serious intracranial complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

METHODS

Case report and literature review.

RESULTS

We report a patient with iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea caused by intracranial entry of a Silastic sheet inserted into the nasal cavity. This skull defect and the surrounding skull base were successfully reconstructed in a multilayer fashion via an endoscopic endonasal approach.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights the need for caution when inserting nasal packing material. During endoscopic endonasal reduction of blowout fractures, great care must be taken to support the orbital contents, in order to avoid serious intracranial complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage.